News - August 2015

The mountainside surrounding the North Fork Trail near Glen Haven is alive with bright wildflowers and green grasses and trees on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015. (Photo by Pamela Johnson/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

The new North Fork Trail, which is expected to open by early next year, will cross the river only twice compared to the old trail which had six bridges spanning the water. This is the only spot where a new bridge will be built in the same location as the destroyed bridge. (Photo by Pamela Johnson/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Just before the North Fork Trail extends into designated wildnerness, crews rebuilding the trail are building this rock wall to shore up the new trail. They used two methods, a wooden frame and a metal fence-like support, both filled with rock from the area.

Mike Corbin and a crew from Poudre Wildnerness Volunteers build this section of the new North Fork Trail on a recent weekend, shoring it up with a several-layer rock wall. He estimates they used about 100 rocks on the support.

This twisted metal was a newly refurbished bridge before the 2013 flood raged through the North Fork Trail near Glen Haven. The bridge was originally built in 1978, but volunteers had replaced the wooden top just months before the flood.

The same volunteers who rebuilt one of six bridges along the North Fork Trail just before the 2013 floods salvaged the wood from the top and plan to use it on the new trail.

U.S. Forest Service forester Kevin Cannon, at left, and Poudre Wildnerness Volunteer Mike Corbin explain how the lower section of the North Fork Trail used to be several feet wider before the 2013 floods.

The new path of the North Fork Trail heads to the left along the river instead of veering to the right near where Forester Kevin Cannon and volunteer Mike Corbin stand on a recent morning.

As crews rebuild the North Fork Trail, they will use downed trees that were casualties of the flood if they can access them safely, explains forester Kevin Cannon. Others will remain where they fell and provide habitat for fish, birds and critters.

Forester Kevin Cannon planned new route of the North Fork Trail to wind through trees and along the river. This trail was one of the most damaged on the Canyon Lakes ranger District by the 2013 flood.

Leah Browder, Public Works director for the city of Loveland, and Dan Maas, chief operations officer for the Thompson School District, pose for a photo using the city's new rectangular rapid flashing beacon at the crosswalk on First Street at Dotsero Avenue on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, in Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Brothers Liang Huang, left, and Tommy Huang plant flowers in front of their new Asian restaurant, Oceans Bistro, on Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, in west Loveland at the former Great Wall chinese buffet. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Liang Huang, cooks rice noodles Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2015, at Oceans Bistro, a new Asian restaurant in west Loveland at the former Great Wall chinese buffet. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Sitting on a bilingual rug, Truscott Elementary School kindergartener Jacob Hollen, 5, right, raises his hand Thursday, Aug. 20, 2015, during the first day of school and the first day of the new dual immersion program at the school. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Jackie Mihalchick, left, and her corn shucking team mates from Keller Williams Realty have a celebratory water fight Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, after they finished shucking during the corn shucking contest at the Old Fashioned Corn Roast Fesitval in downtown Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Larimer County Sheriff's deputies invesitagate a stolen vehicle Friday, Aug. 21, 2015, at Jomoka Joe's in west Loveland. When deputies arrived they found three transients sleeping in the vehicle. The three were taken into custody pending the investigation. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

USA Pro Challenge fanatics ride a tandem bike, holding an American flag before the cyclists come through on Larimer County Road 31 near Carter Lake on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2015, west of Loveland. (Photo by Aaron R. Atencio/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Fans enjoy the music at the inaugural BandSmash in 2014. The event is a fundraiser for the Mountain View Rotary Club, which is raising money for its scholarship programs this year.

The Loveland Fire Rescue Authority hazmat crew responded Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, to a suspicious odor coming from a residence's suitcase after arriving home from vacation in the 500 block of Southeast Second Street. (Dana Rieck/Reporter-Herald)

A bicyclist collided with a small recreational vehicle Monday, Aug, 24, 2015, around 10:15 a.m. at Cleveland Avenue and Eisenhower Boulevard. According to a Loveland Police Department officer at the scene, the RV was eastbound on Eisenhower Boulevard as it turned south onto Cleveland Avenue — the bicyclist did not see the vehicle and ran into the side of it. The bicyclist suffered minor injuries and was taken to an area hospital. Southbound traffic on Cleveland Avenue was slightly backed up as crews worked the accident. (Photo by Dana Rieck/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Christine Williams, center, owner of Jamoka Joe's drive-thru coffee shop, talks Monday, Aug. 24, 2015, about how her mannequin was recently stolen. The 5 foot 10 inch tall, size 3 mannequin, named HotTea or SweetTea, greeted many customers and has had numerous selfies taken with tourists. HotTea used to keep Jeeves, a statue of a butler, company until she turned up missing last Wednesday. Williams just wants her back, no questions asked. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Stephanie Fancher, one of the owners of Loveland Ready Mix Concrete Inc., talks Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, about a new area they are mining for gravel right in Loveland northwest of Wilson Avenue and First Street. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Drivers travel on U.S. 34 near Interstate 25 in Loveland on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015. Traffic on the highway is going to be the subject of a new regional coalition. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

An area west of Wilson Avenue and North of First Street that is in the process of being reclaimed after it was mined for sand and gravel by Loveland Ready Mix Concrete Inc,is seen on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2015, in west Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Leo Baker, 9, strikes a rock star pose on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2015 after getting a new electric guitar on his 9th birthday from Blue Star Connection, a non-profit that provides musical instruments to children for musical therapy. Leo's Mom, Sarah Portillo, far left, his siter, Lily Portillo, 12, center left, and his little brother, Marcelo Portillo, 5, right, watch him strike a pose. Makenzie Culver of Loveland, 15, the ambassador for Blue Star Connection, center right, gave Leo a few tips about playing his guitar and sang a birthday song for him. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Law enforcement in Loveland surround a house at 1818 SW Third Street Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015. The suspect eventually came out of the home and surrendered. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Law enforcement in Loveland approach a suspect after he surrendered Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2015, in the front yard at 1818 SW Third Street in Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Loveland City councilors Ralph Trenary, far left, and Hugh McKean, far right, hold a ribbon after it was cut by Pat Shaw, center, the first person to get off the innagural Elite Airways flight from Chicago after it landed Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, at the Fort Collins/Loveland Municipal Airport in Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Hearts and Horses ranch foreman Skip Knox, right, and Kevin Quinn, left work on the newly constructed addition at Hearts and Horses west of Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Sweet Tea, also known as Hot Tea, a mannequin that was stolen from Jamoka Joe's coffee shop, is back to greet customers Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, after she was found in a ditch and returned. Christine Williams, owner of Jamoka Joe's, left, helps customer Tony Chiono on Thursday. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

The first Elite Airways flight from Chicago is greeted by an arch of water spraying from firetrucks Thursday, Aug. 27, 2015, at the Fort Collins/Loveland Municipal Airport in Loveland. (Photo by Jenny Sparks/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Alan Davis, left, stands next to his 1937 Lincoln Zephyr during the Blue Light Car Show in Loveland on Saturday, August 29, 2015. (Photo by Aaron R. Atencio/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Car enthusiasts gathered during the Blue Light Car Show in Loveland on Saturday, August 29, 2015. (Photo by Aaron R. Atencio/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Car enthusiasts gathered during the Blue Light Car Show in Loveland on Saturday, August 29, 2015. (Photo by Aaron R. Atencio/Loveland Reporter-Herald)

Car Enthusiasts gathered during the Blue Light Car Show in Loveland on Saturday, August 29, 2015. (Photo by Aaron R. Atencio/Loveland Reporter-Herald)